Bernard Cornwell Books in Order (Updated September 8, 2026)

Bernard Cornwell is an English historical novelist best known for Richard Sharpe, Uhtred of Bebbanburg, the Warlord Chronicles, the Grail Quest, and the Starbuck Chronicles. His bibliography spans the Napoleonic Wars, Anglo-Saxon England, Arthurian Britain, the Hundred Years War, the American Civil War, sailing thrillers, standalone historical novels, and nonfiction.

There is no single Bernard Cornwell reading order because his major series occupy separate continuities. The most important decision concerns the Sharpe books, which were written out of historical sequence. Cornwell himself has repeatedly recommended reading Sharpe chronologically, beginning with Sharpe’s Tiger.

Where to Begin With Bernard Cornwell

• Best starting point for military adventure: Sharpe’s Tiger.
• Best starting point for Anglo-Saxon England: The Last Kingdom.
• Best short completed series: The Winter King, the first Warlord Chronicles novel.
• Best medieval archery starting point: Harlequin, titled The Archer’s Tale in the United States.
• Sharpe recommendation: chronological story order.
• Other series: read each in publication order.

Readers who are unsure which large series to tackle first may find the Warlord Chronicles especially convenient. It is a completed trilogy, whereas Sharpe and the Last Kingdom sequence require much longer commitments.

Sharpe Books in Chronological Reading Order

The Sharpe series follows Richard Sharpe through British military campaigns from India at the end of the eighteenth century through the Napoleonic Wars and beyond. Cornwell did not write the books in the order in which the events occur.

For new readers, chronological story order is the author’s recommended approach. This lets Sharpe’s military career, relationships, promotions, enemies, and campaigns unfold in sequence.

1. Sharpe’s Tiger (1997)
2. Sharpe’s Triumph (1998)
3. Sharpe’s Fortress (1999)
4. Sharpe’s Trafalgar (2000)
5. Sharpe’s Prey (2001)
6. Sharpe’s Rifles (1988)
7. Sharpe’s Havoc (2003)
8. Sharpe’s Eagle (1981)
9. Sharpe’s Gold (1981)
10. Sharpe’s Escape (2004)
11. Sharpe’s Fury (2006)
12. Sharpe’s Battle (1995)
13. Sharpe’s Company (1982)
14. Sharpe’s Command (2023)
15. Sharpe’s Sword (1983)
16. Sharpe’s Enemy (1984)
17. Sharpe’s Honour (1985)
18. Sharpe’s Regiment (1986)
19. Sharpe’s Storm (2025)
20. Sharpe’s Siege (1987)
21. Sharpe’s Revenge (1989)
22. Sharpe’s Waterloo (1990)
23. Sharpe’s Assassin (2021)
24. Sharpe’s Devil (1992)

Sharpe’s Storm is positioned between Sharpe’s Regiment and Sharpe’s Siege. Although it was not published until 2025, its events belong in that earlier part of Sharpe’s military career.

Where the Sharpe Short Stories Fit

Sharpe also appears in shorter fiction. These pieces are optional, but readers seeking the fullest chronological experience can include them around the novels whose periods they share.

• Sharpe’s Skirmish is a short story set during the Peninsular War and belongs around the middle of the main sequence.
• Sharpe’s Christmas is a collection containing two Sharpe stories set at different times, so the collection cannot be assigned one single chronological slot.
• Sharpe’s Story is nonfiction about how Cornwell created and developed the series, not another Richard Sharpe adventure.

Readers interested only in the novels can omit the short fiction without losing the central continuity.

Why Sharpe Publication Order Looks So Unusual

Cornwell began the series with Sharpe’s Eagle, set during the Peninsular War. Later he returned to earlier stages of Sharpe’s life and wrote novels covering India, Trafalgar, Copenhagen, and previously unused periods of the Peninsular campaign.

That is why a book written in the 1990s or 2000s can take place years before a Sharpe novel published in the early 1980s. Reading according to the historical sequence produces a much smoother account of Sharpe’s career.

Publication order remains an interesting option for rereaders because it shows how Cornwell expanded the character over decades, but it is not the simplest first-time route.

The Last Kingdom Books in Order

The Last Kingdom series, previously known as the Saxon Stories or Warrior Chronicles, follows Uhtred of Bebbanburg against the background of the formation of England. Unlike Sharpe, this sequence should simply be read in publication order.

1. The Last Kingdom (2004)
2. The Pale Horseman (2005)
3. The Lords of the North (2006)
4. Sword Song (2007)
5. The Burning Land (2009)
6. Death of Kings (2011)
7. The Pagan Lord (2013)
8. The Empty Throne (2014)
9. Warriors of the Storm (2015)
10. The Flame Bearer (2016)
11. War of the Wolf (2018)
12. Sword of Kings (2019)
13. War Lord (2020)

The thirteen novels form one continuing life story. Characters return, alliances change, political situations develop, and Uhtred grows older throughout the sequence. Skipping ahead can reveal the fates of characters and the outcomes of earlier conflicts.

Uhtred’s Feast Comes After the Main Series

Uhtred’s Feast was published in 2023 after the thirteen main Last Kingdom novels. It combines new Uhtred stories with historical and food-related material rather than functioning as book fourteen of the continuous novel sequence.

The safest placement is after War Lord. Readers who have finished the main series can treat it as Optional companion reading.

Is Another Uhtred Book Coming?

As of September 2026, the thirteen-novel Last Kingdom sequence remains complete with War Lord. Cornwell indicated early in 2026 that he was working on another Uhtred project, but by July 2026 he confirmed that plans had changed and that there would not be a new Uhtred book in 2026.

He also indicated that a different, non-Uhtred book was planned for the following year. No unconfirmed title should therefore be inserted into the Uhtred reading order.

The Warlord Chronicles in Order

The Warlord Chronicles retell the Arthurian story through Derfel Cadarn. The trilogy is one of Cornwell’s cleanest reading projects because there are only three books and the narrative is continuous.

1. The Winter King (1995)
2. Enemy of God (1996)
3. Excalibur (1997)

Read these strictly in order. Enemy of God continues the relationships and conflicts established in The Winter King, while Excalibur completes Derfel’s account.

There is no separate prequel or fourth Warlord novel required after Excalibur.

Grail Quest Books in Order

The Grail Quest follows English archer Thomas of Hookton during the Hundred Years War. The first book uses different titles in different markets.

1. Harlequin (2000), published in the United States as The Archer’s Tale
2. Vagabond (2002)
3. Heretic (2003)

Vagabond begins very close to the end of Harlequin, so publication order is essential. Heretic then completes the Grail Quest trilogy.

Where 1356 Fits With Thomas of Hookton

1356, published in 2012, brings Thomas of Hookton back years after the Grail Quest trilogy and takes him toward the Battle of Poitiers.

Cornwell has specifically distinguished 1356 from the Grail Quest because the later novel is not another search for the Grail. It nevertheless shares Thomas and takes place after Heretic.

1. Harlequin / The Archer’s Tale
2. Vagabond
3. Heretic
4. 1356 Related continuation

For Thomas of Hookton continuity, this four-book sequence is the most useful order. For strict series labeling, only the first three constitute the Grail Quest trilogy.

Starbuck Chronicles in Order

The Starbuck Chronicles follow Nathaniel Starbuck during the American Civil War. The books form a connected sequence and should be read in publication order.

1. Rebel (1993)
2. Copperhead (1994)
3. Battle Flag (1995)
4. The Bloody Ground (1996)

The fourth book takes Starbuck to Antietam but does not close every possible thread in his life. Cornwell has long described the character as being on an extended vacation after returning to Sharpe.

As of September 2026, no fifth Starbuck novel has a confirmed publication date. The four published books remain the complete available sequence.

Bernard Cornwell’s Sailing Thrillers in Publication Order

Cornwell wrote five contemporary thrillers with sailing backgrounds before concentrating almost entirely on historical fiction. These books are generally standalone and do not form one continuing series.

1. Wildtrack (1988)
2. Sea Lord (1989), published in the United States as Killer’s Wake
3. Crackdown (1990)
4. Stormchild (1991)
5. Scoundrel (1992)

Publication order is convenient for a complete read, but there is no spoiler-sensitive continuity requiring one thriller before another.

The Susannah Kells Books

Cornwell also co-wrote three books with his wife Judy under the pseudonym Susannah Kells. Later editions of some of these books have placed Cornwell’s name more prominently on the cover.

1. A Crowning Mercy (1983)
2. Fallen Angels (1984)
3. Coat of Arms, published in the United States as The Aristocrats

These books are sometimes called a series because two contain characters from the same family, but Cornwell has explained that they are not really one continuous sequence. They should be treated as loosely related fiction rather than a strict trilogy.

Coat of Arms and The Aristocrats are alternate titles for the same work, not two separate books.

Standalone Bernard Cornwell Novels

Cornwell has written a substantial group of historical novels outside his major series. These books have separate protagonists and can be read in any order.

• Redcoat (1987)
• Stonehenge (1999)
• Gallows Thief (2001)
• Azincourt / Agincourt (2008)
• The Fort (2010)
• Fools and Mortals (2017)

Azincourt is titled Agincourt in some markets. These are the same novel and should be counted once.

The protagonist of Azincourt is Nick Hook, not Thomas of Hookton from the Grail Quest books. The similar surnames sometimes create confusion, but the novels do not form one character sequence.

Can Gallows Thief Be Read as a Series?

Gallows Thief introduces Rider Sandman and has often prompted readers to ask for another adventure. Cornwell has considered the possibility, but no sequel has been published.

It should therefore be treated as a standalone novel. No second Rider Sandman title belongs in the reading order as of September 2026.

Bernard Cornwell Nonfiction

Cornwell’s major standalone nonfiction work is Waterloo: The History of Four Days, Three Armies and Three Battles, published in 2014. It examines the historical campaign rather than continuing Richard Sharpe’s fictional story.

Readers may find it particularly interesting before or after Sharpe’s Waterloo, but it is not required for the novel series.

Best Series to Read After Sharpe

Readers finishing Sharpe often want another long military sequence. The Last Kingdom books are the closest choice in terms of an extended protagonist-centered historical saga, although the period, weapons, and political world are very different.

For something shorter, choose the Warlord Chronicles. Readers primarily interested in archery and medieval warfare should move to the Grail Quest and then 1356.

A Recommended Bernard Cornwell Reading Route

There is no need to read every Cornwell series according to the dates of historical events. Each major sequence is self-contained, so keeping one series together provides better continuity.

1. The Warlord Chronicles
2. The Last Kingdom series
3. The Grail Quest trilogy
4. 1356
5. The Sharpe series in chronological order
6. The Starbuck Chronicles
7. The standalone historical novels
8. The sailing thrillers

This is a discovery route rather than a required chronology. It begins with shorter completed sequences before moving into Cornwell’s largest body of connected fiction.

Latest Bernard Cornwell Book and Current Status

The latest published Bernard Cornwell novel is Sharpe’s Storm, released in the United Kingdom in October 2025 and in the United States in December 2025. It belongs chronologically between Sharpe’s Regiment and Sharpe’s Siege.

Cornwell said around the time of its completion that it might be Sharpe’s final adventure, although he did not rule out returning to the character permanently.

In July 2026, Cornwell confirmed that a planned new Uhtred book would not appear in 2026 and indicated that a new book unrelated to Uhtred was expected next. Until a title and publication information are formally confirmed, it should not be added to this bibliography.

Bernard Cornwell Reading Order FAQs

What Bernard Cornwell book should I read first?

Sharpe’s Tiger is a strong choice for military adventure, while The Last Kingdom is best for Anglo-Saxon history. Readers wanting a shorter commitment can begin with The Winter King.

Should Sharpe be read in publication order or chronological order?

Chronological story order is recommended. Cornwell has repeatedly advised readers to begin with Sharpe’s Tiger and follow Sharpe’s career forward in time.

Where does Sharpe’s Storm fit?

Sharpe’s Storm fits between Sharpe’s Regiment and Sharpe’s Siege in the historical sequence.

How many Last Kingdom novels are there?

There are thirteen main novels, beginning with The Last Kingdom and ending with War Lord. Uhtred’s Feast is supplementary rather than a fourteenth main novel.

Is 1356 part of the Grail Quest?

It continues Thomas of Hookton’s life after the Grail Quest trilogy, but Cornwell does not consider it another Grail Quest novel because its story is no longer a search for the Grail.

Is The Archer’s Tale the same book as Harlequin?

Yes. The Archer’s Tale is the United States title of Harlequin, the first Grail Quest novel.

Is Killer’s Wake the same book as Sea Lord?

Yes. Killer’s Wake is the United States title of the sailing thriller Sea Lord.

Will there be another Starbuck book?

Cornwell has said for many years that he would like to return to Nathaniel Starbuck, but no fifth novel has a confirmed publication date as of September 2026.

What is Bernard Cornwell’s latest novel?

Sharpe’s Storm, published in 2025, is his latest released novel as of September 2026.

The Order That Gives the Clearest Experience

Bernard Cornwell’s books are easiest to navigate when each major series is treated separately. Read the Last Kingdom series, Warlord Chronicles, Grail Quest, and Starbuck Chronicles in their published sequence.

Sharpe is the important exception. Begin with Sharpe’s Tiger and use historical story order, including the later-written novels in the periods where their events belong. Keep 1356 after the Grail Quest trilogy, treat Uhtred’s Feast as an optional companion after War Lord, and approach the standalone novels and sailing thrillers independently.